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...I wouldn't mind taking it for a spin, but still wouldn't pay that kind of money.
At least I don't think I'd be interested in shelling out big $$$ for one.
Butt....I'm gonna do the "take it for a spin" thing to learn more about it!!!
Take a look at this - when we were at the Rolex24 this Jan, my wife signed up for a T-shirt at the Cadillac performance tent. She got an email about 6 weeks ago and I clicked on it to read it and it took me to the site below. I went ahead and put in her code (don't try to use it - well, you can try, but it will tell you it has already been used) and signed up for the event. I'll be driving at Daytona Sept 1st!!
It costs $995 for this Cadillac event, but when I drive my C7 Z06 at Daytona it costs around $400/day registration fee, at least $200 for gas and octane booster (I get about 3.8 to 4.2 mpg!!), probably use up more than $100 worth of tires, and another $100 worth of brake pads, and I don't how much the wear-n-tear on the car might cost.
So I figured it wouldn't be a bad deal to see what Cadillac really has to offer!! I'm a manual transmission guy, but I'm looking forward to trying out the paddle shifter on the CTS-V. The ATS-V will also be there to drive, and I think they still offer a manual in the ATS-V so I hope to be able to drive that as well - especially the coupe model.
It says I'll get breakfast, lunch, and a "post-event reception" (I don't know whether that means more chow or not), and it also says "your day includes a Custom Cadillac Pyrotect helmet". I don't know whether that's just to use during the event, or to take with you!?!? Also, when I signed up, it asked what my jacket size was - so I don't know what to expect about that either!?!?
However, whether I'll get anything other than a day of driving Cadillacs at the track, I always love driving any track - especially my home track of Daytona!!
Anybody else gonna be there???
BTW - a buddy of mine called them a couple weeks ago to see about attending the Daytona event, but was told it was all filled up. I don't know about COTA.
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Last edited by BEZ06; 08-06-2017 at 10:49 PM.
Reason: Added BTW
Why? In many ways it's a better car than the AMG, RS, or M cars in its class and costs less than them.
Oh I'm sure its a better car. But you don't think 100k is a very high price to pay for a 4 door sedan with a big motor? Heck a Chevrolet SS was an amazing car and only $46k!
It sounded like it would be a sort of Spring Mt experience, and that's just about what it was. Several different classroom sessions of rather basic stuff - but of course most people hadn't ever driven on a track.
We did wet skid-pad exercises, got to try out the launch control, did a couple exercises where we did a lane change and a slalom, and some autocross sessions.
The "autocross" was actually sort of a real short track event rather than going around cones - it had several sharp turns, a sweeper, an ess section, but only took about 40 seconds.
Then we got out on the Rolex 24 roadcourse and got to do lead-follow laps (I think it was 3 laps in the CTS-V, and 3 in the ATS-V). It wasn't too exciting for a track-hound (we only got up to about 130-140mph), but as a first experience on 31° banking for most people it was kind of a thrill for them.
They gave us a good breakfast, lunch, and a dinner snack, and after the dinner did farewells and told us of a swag bag they had for us on departure. Before attending they had us fill out an email form with our helmet size and jacket size - I figured for a loaner helmet when driving the track (which they did provide, with a Simpson Hybrid head-and-neck device).
However, when we left they had a bag for each of us with a Pyrotect Snell SA2015 helmet (customized with Caddy logo on the back, and my name on the visor) and a nice jacket with the Daytona track on one sleeve, and the sponsors (Michelin, Brembo, etc.) on the other.
So.....not a real exciting track event, but I got good a good feel for the Caddy V-performance cars, and got a nice customized helmet. The ATS-V is a nice smaller size car, and they still have a coupe version, can be had with either the A8 or manual transmission, and the little V6 Twin Turbo puts out a nice 464hp. But I really preferred the CTS-V with the 640hp LT4, but they don't make it in a coupe model anymore, and you can't get it with a manual transmission - which I'd prefer. Although I did try out paddle shifting the A8, and it worked real well upshifting, but I didn't like the downshifting as much. I'd much prefer a proper DCT instead of the slush-box A8.
Bottom line - if you have any interest in checking out the Caddy V-cars, don't mind doing a very controlled track experience, but like the idea of getting a nice $250 full-face helmet and a jacket, try out one of the Cadillac V-Performance Lab events. The Daytona event will be completed this weekend, and the COTA one later in the month is probably sold out, but they will probably have more later in the year or in 2018.
Looked like a pretty decent event...the helmet and the jacket was a nice gift to get! I'm a fan of the CTS-V having the prior generation a while back. May get another one in the next year or so. Have a 7spd DCT in my Audi S6 and drove the Auto V a couple of months back. I felt it shifted as fast as my Audi. For the money it's got a ton of value in it!
08-06-2017, 10:39 PM
